Looking (and throwing) sharp

There's just something so satisfying about locking onto a target and hurling a sharp piece of metal at it as hard as you can.

Eric McNair of Coeur d'Alene has been serious about his knife-throwing game for a couple years. It didn't take him long to get a good handle on the sport.

"I like the dangerous side of it," McNair said Friday. "It's something different. I always enjoyed throwing knives. It's a good way to release aggression, stress and get your mind off things."

McNair, a 1999 Post Falls High School graduate, will compete in the 2022 World Knife Throwing Championship in Appleton, Wis. starting Thursday. He qualified after placing fifth in a September knife-throwing league event at Jumping Jackalope Axe Throwing in Coeur d'Alene.

"This is structured," McNair said. "It makes sense for me to keep going with it. I never thought I would take it this far."

McNair is one of five who will represent Jumping Jackalope, including Miguel Tamburini, who owns four Jackalope locations in Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, Sandpoint and Kalispell. McNair is the only who will compete with knives. Tamburini and the others — Steven Olazábal, Sean Hout and Kody Carder — will compete in the World Axe Throwing Championship.

"When I built Jackalope, it was to bring this sport to the Inland Northwest," Tamburini said. "A lot of people associate axe throwing with timber sports. This is something more accessible and anybody can do it."

The championships go through Sunday, Dec. 4. Those who advance to the finals will be televised on ESPN.

"This is the first time I've been in the competition," said McNair, who regularly practices his knife skills at Jumping Jackalope, 2506 N. Fourth St. Coeur d'Alene. "I'm pretty stoked about going. I couldn’t do it without Miguel and his venue."